Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) on Friday became the first Republican cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill which would repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
“I voted against the constitutional amendment defining marriage so I’m pleased to co-sponsor the repeal of DOMA and work with my colleagues on marriage equality,” Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement released by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY).
“It is with great joy that I welcome my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, as the 125th cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act,” said Nadler.
“Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen has long been a tremendous ally in the world’s struggles for freedom and against oppression and discrimination,” Nadler said. “She is widely recognized as a champion of human rights and human dignity. And her support reminds us that the march to repeal the discriminatory DOMA is not a partisan issue. Just as New York showed the nation this summer in its bipartisan embrace of marriage equality, the drive to end DOMA is – and must be – a collective, nonpartisan effort that unites Americans behind a simple push for equality. Our coalition grows stronger and larger every day.”
